Home

Mission Statement

The mission of the Division of Tobacco Use Prevention and Control is to establish a comprehensive partnership among state government, local communities, and the people of Iowa to foster a social and legal climate in which tobacco use becomes undesirable and unacceptable.

Who We Are

Tobacco is the leading preventable cause of death for Iowans, taking the lives of more than 4,400 adults each year. Estimated annual health care costs in Iowa directly related to tobacco use now total $1 billion. The Division of Tobacco Use Prevention and Control works to reduce tobacco use and the toll of tobacco-caused disease and death by preventing youth from starting, helping adults and youth to quit, and preventing exposure to secondhand smoke.

To achieve these goals, the Division follows Centers for Disease Prevention and Control (CDC) guidelines for comprehensive tobacco control programs. State-level initiatives include Quitline Iowa cessation services, youth tobacco-use prevention programming and enforcement of Iowa's Smokefree Air Act. Local tobacco control programs, called Community Partnerships, support tobacco control initiatives at the community level. The Division also conducts ongoing surveillance of tobacco use by youth and adults in Iowa.

The Iowa Department of Public Health (IDPH) is offering eight weeks of free nicotine replacement therapy (NRT) in the form of patches and gum to Iowa smokers who choose to make a quit attempt using Quitline Iowa.